Protective garment



June 4, 1968 GOLDS Em 3,386,443

PROTECT IVE GARMENT Filed Dec. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EUGENE GOLDSTE'IN ATTORNEY June 4, 1968 E. sows-ram 3,38

PROTECTIVE GARMENT Filed Dec. '7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. E UGENE GOLD STEIIV BY QW/PFML A 7' TORNEY United States Patent 3,386,443 PROTECTIVE GARMENT Eugene Goldstein, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to H. G. Enterprises, a copartnership Filed Dec. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 512,171 8 Claims. (Cl. 128-487) My invention relates to protective garments, and more particularly garments for protection against involuntary emissions of urine and other excrement.

My invention comprises a garment that is of a pantlike character, which is made up of a body portion that is wide at the end portions and has a narrow portion between said wide end portions, which gradually narrows toward the middle thereof, the body portion being provided with means for absorbing moisture and with means for securing the garment in body encircling position with the narrowing portion positioned between the legs of the wearer and the wide portions extending around-the body of the wearer. Means is provided for holding the garment in body encircling position comprising fastening elements at the end corners of the wide portion, adapted to co operate to secure the two ends of the body portion in body encircling position with the edge portions thereof overlapped, and said body portion is further provided with tie members, near the junctions of the wide end portions thereof with the gradually narrowing portion, for further securing the garment in body encircling position.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a protective garment of the above referred to character that comprises a surface ply of moisture repellent material on one face thereof, coextensive with the body portion, a surface ply of moisture conducting material on the other face thereof, and an intermediate ply of moisture absorbent material, all of the plies being stitched together along the marginal edges of said body portion, said surface ply of moisture conducting material being either of such a character that it will conduct the moisture through the same without retaining any of the moisture in the material or of such a character that some of the moisture will be retained in said ply.

It is a further purpose of my invention to so construct my protective garment that it will avoid discomfort of the wearer due to any unevenness of the surfaces thereof that come in contact with the body. In order to accomplish this and to obtain the desired moisture absorbent and protective action thereof, the garment is provided with an absorbent pad, extending lengthwise of the major portion of the length of the narrowing portion thereof, that is mounted on the intermediate ply of moisture absorbent material so that the outer or surface ply of moisture conducting material will present a smooth surface to the body, as it will be free of any stitching that would otherwise be necessary to secure the moisture absorbent pad in position. Furthermore, to provide a more comfortable fit of the garment, it is provided with concavely curved side edges throughout the narrowing portion of the body portion.

In order to assure that there will be no escape of urine or other excrement along the marginal edges of the body portion as it narrows toward the mid-portion thereof, in the area that is provided with the absorbent material pad, side flaps are provided on said body portion extending along the curved side edges thereof at the mid-portion thereof, extending a substantial distance along said marginal edge portions from the mid-portion of the garment toward the wider ends thereof, said side flaps being somewhat shorted than the length of the pad of moisture absorbent material.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide such side flaps that are elongated in character and which are relatively narrow and are provided with a surface ply 3,386,443 Patented June 4, 1968 of moisture repellent material, a surface ply of moisture conducting material and in intermediate ply of moisture absorbent material, which plies are shown as secured to the body portion by the stitching securing the plies of the body portion together at the marginal edges of said body portion. This provides a flexible connection between the side flaps and the body portion of the garment.

It is another purpose of my invention to provide an absorbent pad, in a garment of the above referred to character, that is quilted, by stitching that extends through the thick body portion of absorbent material forming the main body portion of said pad, and a ply of moisture absorbent fabric, which is provided on one face of the body portion of absorbent material and secured to the intermediate ply of moisture absorbent fabric.

A material, that will conduct moisture through the same without retaining any of the moisture on its surface, is one made of olefin fiber, such as polypropylene. Such a material is inert to moisture, and while it will not absorb moisture, a surface ply thereof will carry moisture through the same to an inner moisture absorbent material, as polypropylene has a capillary action.

Instead of substituting such a non-absorbent moisture conducting material for the surface ply of moisture absorbent moisture conducting material of my protective garment, such a non-absorbent material ply may be interposed between the body of the wearer and a surface ply of moisture absorbent material on the inner side of said garment, and in such case is preferably detachably connected with said surface ply.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described, except as defined by the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partly in perspective, of my improved protective garment with the parts in the position that they would have when in body engaging position.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof in such position.

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, of my improved protective garment, in a spread out position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modification.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the body portion of my improved protective garment comprises an outer or surface ply 7 of moisture repellent material, one or more plies of moisture conducting material including an outer or surface ply 8 of such moisture conducting material and an intermediate ply 9 of moisture absorbent material. Said plies 7, 8 and 9 are all co-extensive with the body portion of the garment and are secured together along all the marginal edges of the body portion by means of stitching 10. Said body portion, has wide end portions 11, which have slightly inclined side edges 12, so that the wide end portion tapers slightly toward the mid-portion of the garment, and with concavely curved edge portions 13, extending from the inner ends of the inclined edges 12, said concavely curved edge portions 13 of the body portion curving inwardly to the middle of the length of the garment, at which point they approach the nearest to each other to form the narrowest portion of said garment. Each of the plies 7, 8 and 9 are similarly shaped. In order to avoid any rough edges that might engage the body of the wearer, the concavely curved edge portion has the plies thereof turned inwardly, as indicated at 14 3 in FIG. 4 so that the stitching will be covered by the plies of the material.

My protective garment is provided with an absorbent pad 31 of much greater capacity than the remainder of the body portion, said absorbent pad being elongated in the direction of length of the body portion and extending lengthwise thereof across the mid-portion thereof, being substantially co-extensive in length with the narrowing portion of the garment. Said pad is made up of a large number of laminations of moisture absorbent material and is provided with a ply 16 of moisture absorbent fabric along one face thereof. Said pad is preferably of a rectangular character, having parallel straight end edges 17 and parallel straight side edges 18 and is quilted by means of the stitching 19, which extends through the laminations 15 and the fabric ply 16. The quilted pad is secured in position in the garment by means of stitches 20 extending along the margins of the pad, which extend through the intermediate ply 9 of the body portion. There are no stitches exposed to the body of the wearer, as the body will engage the ply 8, which is smooth surfaced throughout the area in which the absorbent pad is located.

My improved protective garment is provided with a pair of side flaps 21 that are long and narrow and extend lengthwise along the curved side edges 13 of the garment across the mid-portion thereof and for a substantial distance on each side of the mid-portion. Said side flaps are provided with concavely curved edge portions 22 throughout the major portion of the length thereof and with convexly curved end edges 23 so as to provide tapering ends on said side flaps 21. Said side flaps comprise a moisture repellent surface ply 24, an outer or surface ply 25 of moisture conducting material, and an intermediate absorbent material ply 26, said plies all being secured to the marginal edges 13 of the body portion by the stitches 10, and being secured together at their opposite edges by means of stitching 27, the marginal edges of the plies 24, 25 and 26 being inturned as shown in FIG. 3 to avoid any rough edges on said side flaps.

The wide portions 11 are provided with a plurality of cooperating fastening elements, comprising the fastening elements 28 along one margin thereof at the end corners of said wide portions and with fastening elements 29 cooperating therewith along the other margin of said wide portions at the end corners thereof. It will be obvious that the garment can be placed around the body of the wearer and adjusted for fitting to the body, by selection of the fastening elements 29 that engage selected elements 28, to place the garment in the position shown in FIG. 1, with the two wide portions thereof in body encircling position, with the edge portions thereof in overlapping relation, as sohwn at 30. This will, when the garment is in position on the body, place the narrowing portion having the concave edges 13 between the legs of the wearer with the pad 31 made as described hereinbefore, in proper position to absorb the greater portion of the urine drip that would occur and retain fecal matter, if necessary. In order to prevent any escape of moisture or fecal matter at the concave marginal edges, the flaps 21 are provided, which have substantially the position shown in FIG. 1 when the garment is on the body of the wearer and will act as sealing means to prevent any escape of urine or fecal matter around the concave edges 13 of the gar ment. In order to have the concavely curved edge portion 13 and the flap 21 fit closely against the legs of the wearer, in the position of the garment shown in FIG. 2, tie members 32 are provided, which are secured to the Wide portions 11 near the junction of the narrowing central portion of the garment therewith, said tie members being adapted to be drawn tight and secured together by tying the same, so as to assure the snug fit of the concave edge portions 13 of the garment against the legs of the wearer.

It will be noted that the garment is reversible end for end being symmetrical with respect to the relationship of the wide portions and the narrowing portion to each 4 other and the location of the pad 31 and side flaps 21 with respect to the Wide ends 11. In use the garment is, of course, supposed to be placed in position on the body of the weare with the absorbent ply 8 next to the body and the moisture repellent ply 7 outward,

The surface ply 8 may be made either of absorbent fabric or olefin fiber such as polypropylene, or a ply of polypropylene can be placed between the body of the wearer and the surface ply 8, if made of absorbent fabric. In FIG. 7 such an arrangement is shown in which the ply 33 of such non-absorbent moisture conducting material is detachably mounted over the ply 8, being secured thereto by snap fasteners 34-. By using such a surface ply of non-absorbent moisture conducting material, either as the surface ply 8 or as an added ply 33, no moisture will be present on the surface of the garment in engagement with the body of the wearer, providing for greater comfort of the wearer.

What I claim is:

1. A protective garment comprising an elongated body portion having wide end portions and having concavely curved longitudinal side edges to form a gradually narrowing portion extending between said wide end portions having its minimum width midway of the length of said body portion, said body portion comprising a surface ply of moisture repellent material on one face thereof, a surface ply of moisture conducting material on the other face thereof and an intermediate ply of moisture absorbent material, stitching securing said plies together adjacent the marginal edges of said body portion, means on said wide ends cooperating to secure said garment in body encircling position with said narrowing portion positioned between the legs of the wearer, an absorbent pad extending through the major portion of the length of said narrowing portion mounted within said body portion, and a pair of side flaps each extending along one of the curved side edges of said body portion at the mid-portion of said narrowing portion thereof, said side flaps having a surface ply of moisture repellent material on one face thereof and a surface ply of moisture conducting material on the other face thereof.

2. The protective garment claimed in claim 1 in which said side flaps are elongated and extend lengthwise of said side edges of said body portion.

3. The protective garment claimed in claim 1 in which said side flaps have an intermediate ply of moisture absorbent material and are secured to said body portion by the stitching securing the plies of said body portion together at the marginal edges thereof.

4. The protective garment claimed in claim 1 in which said absorbent pad is quilted and comprises a thick body portion of moisture absorbent material and a ply of moisture absorbent fabric on one face of said absorbent material and stitching extends through said marginal portion of said pad and said intermediate ply to secure said pad to said intermediate ply.

5. The protective garment claimed in claim 1 in which said surface ply of moisture conducting material is moisture absorbent.

6. The protective garment claimed in claim 1 in which said surface ply of moisture conducting material is moisture non-absorbent.

7. The protective garment claimed in claim 1 in which a ply of non-absorbent moisture conducting material is positioned on the outer side of said surface ply of moisture conducting material.

8. A protective garment comprising a body portion having a surface ply of moisture repellent material and a ply of moisture absorbent material, means at the ends of said body portion cooperating to secure said garment in body encircling position with the mid-portion thereof positioned between the legs of the wearer, and a pair of side flaps each extending along one of the side edges of said body portion across the mid-portion thereof, each References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1950 Best et a1. 128-284 3/1951 Brink "128-287 6 Donovan 128-287 OBrien 128287 Farnsworth 128-284 Goodman et a1. 128284 Wilson 128-287 Devand 128-284 CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PROTECTIVE GARMENT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION HAVING WIDE END PORTIONS AND HAVING CONCAVELY CURVED LONGITUDINAL SIDE EDGES TO FORM A GRADUALLY NARROWING PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID WIDE END PORTIONS HAVING ITS MINIMUM WIDTH MIDWAY OF THE LENGTH OF SAID BODY PORTION, SAID BODY PORTION COMPRISING A SURFACE PLY OF MOISTURE REPELLENT MATERIAL ON ONE FACE THEREOF, A SURFACE PLY OF MOISTURE CONDUCTING MATERIAL ON THE OTHER FACE THEREOF AND AN INTERMEDIATE PLY OF MOISTURE ABSORBENT MATERIAL, STITCHING SECURING SAID PLIES TOGETHER ADJACENT THE MARGINAL EDGES OF SAID BODY PORTION, MEANS ON SAID WIDE ENDS COOPERATING TO SECURE SAID GARMENT IN BODY ENCIRCLING POSITION WITH SAID NARROWING PORTION POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEGS OF THE WEARER, AN ABSORBENT PAD EXTENDING THROUGH THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID NARROWING PORTION MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BODY PORTION, AND A PAIR OF SIDE FLAPS EACH EXTENDING ALONG ONE OF THE CURVED SIDE EDGES OF SAID BODY PORTION AT THE MID-PORTION OF SAID NARROWING PORTION THEREOF, SAID SIDE FLAPS HAVING A SURFACE PLY OF MOISTURE REPELLENT MATERIAL ON ONE FACE THEREOF AND A SURFACE PLY OF MOISTURE CONDUCTING MATERIAL ON THE OTHER FACE THEREOF. 